Manufacture of carbureted water gas with heavy oil



O. B. EVANS Jan. 7,'1936.

MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS WITH HEAVY OIL Filed Jan. 21, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l /1//7' IVE SS:

O. B. EVANS Jan. 7, 1936.

2,026,877 MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS WITH HEAVY OIL y l Filed Jan. 21, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 www.

Jan. 7, 1936. o. B. EVANS 2,026,877.

MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS WITH HEAVY OIL Filed Jan. 21, 1931 v4 sheets-sheet s r l.. 7A. V- Al VAI l 7A.

*l @we/7 krans cu2/wim d @1% Mime-ss.- fn/Pmi Jan. 7, 1936. 0, B,4 EVANS 2,026,877

MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS WITH HEAVY.OIL

Filed Jan. 21, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iwf/wss.' o; www??? l Ola-el? frans 567W@ @gaf/5%*- Patented Jan. 7, 1936 u NYI'TED STATE-s v MANFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS WITH HEAVY OIL .Owen B.l Evans, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to v Thel United Gas Improvement Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ol.' Pennsylvania 5 Claims.

The present inventionrelates to the manufac- -ture of carbureted water gas.

I'he principal object of the invention is the provision o1' an improved method of and apparatus for the manufacture of carbureted water gas which is especially adapted to thevemployment of heavy oils and residuums as the carbu- A reting material.

By-heavy oils, I mean to include those oils which when vaporized in the ordinary checker `iilled carburetor produce excessive carbon deposition on thel checker brick and lead to the collection on the checker brick of excessive quan- `the -checkerbrick with consequent stoppage of the `gas passages, it is not the best practice to vaporize these heavy oils in the ordinary checker illed carbureter. There are better methods, for instance, vaporizing the oil on the top fof the generator fuel bed after the top of the fuel bed has been especially heated by combustion of the producer gas generated by the primary air blast secondary air admitted as the producer gas enters the carbureter. ',Thezmost intense heating eiectuis in the top of the carbureter and heat is stored there at the highest temperature. 'Ihe temperature decreases along the -path of the blast gases through-` the carbureter and vsuperheater. 1

In the use of ordinary gas oil for-the carbureting material, the oil is vaporized during the 4run (often only during the up run) in the higher temperature heat storage in the top of the carghe bureter and the resultant oil vapors with water gas traverse the remainder of the carbureter and the superheater inseries and 4re xed without overcracking.

In the use of heavy oil, however, I have found that the above customary method of operation is unsatisfactory. The securing of a temperature in the portion of the set employed for oil vaporization, high enough to vaporize the oil with suiiicient rapidity sets up temperature conditions in the succeeding portions of the set traversed by the blast gases which produce overcracking during the iixing of the oil vapors, if they follow the path of the blast gases. The combination of the temperature and the time of contact with the heated surfaces, the time of contact-temperature`V effect is excessive.

This overcracking is particularly undesirable Where itis desired to produce a water gas tar which is adaptedl for use in present processes of manufacture of bituminousroad material. It is present common practice in the manufacture of road compound to employ water gas tar as a thinning medium for coal gas tar.4 The watergas tar produced in the use of heavy oil under the above described conditions of overcracking is likely to be heavier than coal gas tar and useless as a thinning medium. As fuel the tar is worth onlya fraction of its value as road compound material.

According td, the present invention, the-pro- ',ducer gas generated by the primary generator air blast during the blow .is burned with secondary air and its neat stored. Dring the up run, a portion of the stored heat at high temperature is employed to vaporize the heavy oil, -butinstead of passing the resultant oil vapors together with the up'run water gas through the length of the heat storage previously traversed by the blast gases, only a portion of this heat 0storage is utilized for iixing, the oil/vapors and up run water gas being by-passed around the remaining portion.' Preferably the portion of the heat storage so by-passed is a portion of the path of the blast gases intermediate the vaporizing and fixing -surfaces or is in parallel with the path across the' xing surfaces.A The heat stored in the portion of the heat storage so by-passed is recuperated bytraversing this portion of the heat storage with the down run steam. In case the heat absorbed by the steam is not sumcient to reduce the temperature to the desired point water may be introduced with or without steam. to secure further lowering of the temperature. Steam 'for the down run may also be passed 55 through the portion of the heat storage utilized for fixing.

A further object of the invention is the selec-.

tive control of the proportionate quantities of heat stored during the blow, in the 'portion of the heat storage employed for xing and the portion by-passed by the oil vapors but employed for steam superheating. fm.,

'Ihe invention will be further described in con-4 nection with the attached gures which-form a part of this specification and which show forms of the apparatus of the invention chosen for illustration and in which l Fig. 1 shows,'in partial elevation and partial vertical cross section, a three shell carbureted water gas set, with oil vaporized on the top of the fuel bed.

Fig. 2 shows, in partial elevation and partial cross section, a three shell carbureted water gas set with oil vaporized in an empty carbureting chamber. i

,Fig. 3 shows, in partial elevation and partial vertical cross section, a two shell set, with oil vaporized on the top of the fuel bed.

Fig. 4 shows, in partial elevation and partial vertical cross section, a two sh ll set with oil vaporized on the top of the fuel and in an empty carbureting chamber.

Referring to Figure 1, Y

I is the generator, 2 the carbureter, 3 the superheater and 4 the wash box of the usual three shell carbureted water gas set.- Inasmuch as in this illustration of my invention the carbureter 2 is not employed for carbureting, it will hereafter be referred to as a heat exchanger.

The generator is provided with the ignited fuel bed 6 and with the air supply means 6 and the steam supply means I for up air blasting and steaming respectively. The generator is also provided with secondary air supply means for admitting air adjacent the top of the fuel bed, il-

lustrated as marginally below the fuel bed top -pipe I6, valve I6 and connection Il to the superheater 3. The heat exchanger 2 and superheater 3 are in communication through connection I 1. 'Ihe superheater is provided with the stack -valve I8 and with the gas oiftake I6 provided with valve 20 leading to wash box 4.

There vis also a gas oiftake 2-I, provided with" valve 22, leading from below the generator fuel bed to the wash box. Gas offtake 23 provided with valve 24 leads from the wash box to storage or other disposal. 26 and 26 are means for supplying steam to the superheater 3 'and heat exchanger 2, respectively for downrunning.

In operation of the apparatus of Figure l, with e valves I4, I6, I6 and 26 open, the fuel bed is blasted with air supplied through 6. The resu'Jtant producer gas is burned with secondary air admitted through 6, 3 and I6 to heata marginal zone at the top of the fuel bed. The blast gases leaving the generator are divided, a portion passing through connection I3 and the heat exchang` erl 2 to the superheater 3 and another portion passing through connection I6 tothe superheater,

by-passing the heat exchanger 2. 'Ihe blast gases pass'throughthesuperheater'andissuefromthe stack. By controlling the flow through connections I3 and I4, the total heat stored in.vessels 2 and 3 may be divided as desired between the two vessels, and a control of temperature conditions in the vessels effected. 5

As an alternative to passing gas simultaneously through connections I3 and `I5,valves -I4 and I6 may be alternately opened and closed during the blow, alternately passing all the blast gas through both the heat exchanger and the superheater, 10 and alternately by-passing al1 of the blast gas around the heat exchanger. f

After the blow with valves I4, I8 and 22 closed, and valves I6, I9 and 24 open, an uprun is'made with steam supplied through 1. The uprun water 15 gas is carbureted by oil admitted through I I and sprayed onto the marginal hot zone at the top of the ilre. The resultant oil vapors and water gas are by-passed around the heat exchanger 2, by way of connection I5, to the superheater 3, where 20 the oil vapors are fixed by the heat stored in the checkerbrick. Th resultant carbureted Water gas passes through connection 20 to'the wash boxV and thence to storage.

After the uprun. a downrun is made with 25,

valves I4, I8 and 2B closed and valves I 6, 22 and 24 open. Steam is admitted through 26 to the heat exchanger and the stored heat in the checkerbrick utilized to superheat the steam which passes by way of connection I5 to the top of the 30 generator. Some steam may be admitted also at 26 to the superheater, superheated therein and also passed to the generator 'by way of connection I6. The steam passes down through the fuel bed, the resultant water gas going to the 35 wash box by way of connection 2| and thence to storage.

After the downrun a short uncarbureted u'prun is made as a purge and the cycle repeated.

Referring to Figure 2, 40

21 is the generator provided with the ignited fuel bed 26 and with the air and steam supply means 2s and 36 for up air blasting and steaming, respectively. The generator'is furtherI provided with the gas ofl'take 3|. having the branch 45 32 provided with valve 33 and branch 34 provided with`valve'35. Connections 32'and 33 lead to the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the carbureting chamber 36 in the combined carburetor and superheater 31. Above the carbureting cham- 50 ber, vessel 31 is provided with the checkerbrick 36 and is further provided with stack valve 39. 46 is a gas otl'take provided with valve 4I leading to the wash box 42. The carbureting chamber is provided with the oil supply means 43, including 55 a nebulizing spray.

The carbureting chamber is in c unication with the heat exchanger 44, whic is provided with checkerbrick 46 and stack valve 46.

The generator below the fuel bed is provided 00 with the gas offtake 41 provided'with valve 46 and leading to the wash box. Gas offtake 4l pro- Yvided with valve 66 leads from the wash box to storage or other disposal. l.

6I and 62 are steam supply means foiadmit- 65 ting steam to' the heat exchangery 44 and the combined carbureted and superheater 31, respectively. 63 is a supply of secondary air.

In operation with valves 36 and 46 closed and valve 33 open the generator is blasted with air 70 supplied through 26 and the resultant producer gas burned with secondary' air admitted through 63. The resultant blast 'gases pass either upward through the checkerbrick and out of the stack valve-39, stack valve 46 75 or with the stack valves reversed, the blast gases pass down through the carbureting chamber 36 and through the heat exchanger 44.v The blast gases may be passed alternately in the two paths or simultaneously. The desired path of the blast gases will depend on the temperature conditions in the two vessels, the control being effected to store the desired heat in the vessel 31,. balance of the heat being stored in the heat exchanger 44.

After the blow an uprun is made with steam admitted through 38. During the upruri'valves 33, 39, 46 and 48 are closed and valves 35, 4| and 50 open. The resultant water gas passes through branch connection 34 to the base of the carbureting chamber 36. Oil is sprayed into the chamber from oil supply means 43 in finely divided form and is vaporized, radiant heat being supplied from the lining. The oil vapors and water gas pass upward through the checkerbrick 38 where the oil vapors are iixed, the resultant carbureted water gas passing to storage through oitake 4|), wash box 42 and oitake 49.

After the uprun a dowun is made with valves 39, 4| and 46 closed and valves 48 and 59 open. Steam is admitted to the heat exchanger 44 through steam supply 5|, superheated in its passage through the checkerbrlck 45 and passed to the generator through either connection 34 or 33, depending whether valves 33 and 85 are open or closed, thereby recuperating the heat stored in the heating surfaces not traversed by the oil vapors and gas. to vessel 31 through 52 and superheated on. checkerbrick 38. The steam passes down through the fuel bed, the resultant water gas going by way of connection 41 to the wash box and thence to storage.

, scribed in connection with Figure 1.

After the downrun a short uncarbureted uprun may be made for purging and the cycle repeated.

Referring to Figure 3,

52 is the generator provided with the ignited fuel bed 53, primary air supply means 54 and steam supply means 55 for upward air blasting and running respectively. 'There is alsoprovided secondary air supply 'means 56 including bustle pipe 51 and connections 58 for supplying secondary air and oil supply means 59'as described inw connection with Figure I.

The generator is further provided with the gas oitake 60, having the branch connection 6| provided with valve 62 leading to the base and branch connection 63 provided with valve 64 leading to an intermediate portion of superheater 65.

' Superheater-BS is provided with the stack valve 66 and with the checkerbrick sections 61 and 68 located below and above connection 63, respectively. The superheater is also provided with vgas oiftake 69 provided with valve 18 leading to wash box 1 Gas offtake 12 provided with valve 13 leads from' the wash box rto storage or other disposal.

The generator below the fuel bed is provided with gas oiftake 14 provided with valve 15 leading from below the fuel bed to the Wash box.

The superheater is provided with steam supply means 11 and 16 above the checkerbrick sectionsV closed, the` fuel bed is blasted with air supplied through 54 and the resultant producer gas burned with secondary air admitted through 56 as de- The resultant b last gases are passed through the vessel 65 eitherthrough connection 6|` i;or i63, depending on heat conditions in the checkerbrick sections,

Some steam may be also admittedv valves 62 and 64 being appropriately set. Blast gases p'ass either through both checkerbrick sections, or pass only through section 68 by-passing section 61, leaving the superheater through stack valve 66. y 5

After the blow with valve 66 and valve 62 closed and valves 64, 18 and 13 open, an uprun is made with steam admitted at 55. The resultant water gas is carbureted with oil supplied through 59 as described in connection with Figure 1. The 10 resultant oil vapors and the water gas pass through connection 63 into vessel 65 and up through the upper checkerbrick 68 where the oil vapors are fixed, the resultant carbureted water gas passing through connection 10, the 15 wash box and oiftake 12 to storage.

After the uprun a downrun is made with valves 66, 18 and 64 closed and valves 62, 15 and 13 open. Steam is admitted through 16 and passing down through the lower checkerbrick 61 is super- 20 heated recuperating the heat in this portion of `the heat storage by-passed during the uprun. Some steam may be also admitted through 1| and passed down through the upper checker brick section 68. The superheated steam passes 25 fuel bed 18, air blasting supply means 19, steam supply means for up air blasting and steaming respectively, secondary air supply means illY in- 35 cluding bustle pipe 82 vand connections 83 and oil supply means 84 similar to means previously described in connection with Figure 1.

The generator is also provided with gas'oitake 85 having branch connection 86 provided with 40 valve 81 and branch 4connection 88'provided with valve 89. Connection 86 leads to the top and connection 88 to the bottom of empty carbureting chamber 90 in vessel 9|. The carbureting chamber is provided with oil supply means 92 in- 45 cludinga nebulizing spray. The checkerbrick 93 is arranged above -the chamber 9|. 94 is a stack valve. 95 is a connection leading from the vessel 9| through valve 96 to the wash box 8,1. Gas offtake 98 .leads throughvalve 99 to 50 storage.

The generator is provided with the gas offtake |00, having valve |0| and leading from below the fuel bed to the wash box. |92 is a steam supply/means to vessel 9| for downrunning. 55

In operation the generator is blasted with primary/ air and secondary'air as described in connection with Figure i.

During the blow, valves 89 and 94 are open and valves 81 and |0| closed. The blast gases from 6|) the generator pass through connection 88 and up through the carbureting chamber 98 and checkerbrick 93 to the stack;'

After the blow an uprun is made with steam supplied at 80 and the resultant 'gas carbureted 55 with oil supplied through 84 to the top of the fuel bed as described in connection with Figure (1.

During this uprun valves 81, 96 and 99 are open l and valves 89, 94 and |0| are closed. The oil 'l vapors and water gas pass from thegenerator by way of connection 86 to the vessel 9| and up through the checkerbrlck 93, by-passing the greater ypart of chamber 98. The vapors are nxed in the checkerbrick, the resultant carbu- 75 reted water gas passing through connection 95 to the wash boxandto storage. I

After this uprun a downrun is made with steam supplied through |02. During the down-.-

run, valves 81, 94 and 96 are closed, and valves 89, IM and 99 are open. The steam is superheated in passing through the checkerbrick 93 and chamber 90, passes through connection 8B and down through the vgenerator fuel bed, the resultant water gas passes through offtake to the wash box and to storage. i i After the downrun a short uncarbureted uprun is made.

After this uprun a. blow is made as before followed by a carbureted uprun. During this uprun carbureting oil is supplied through 92 to chamber 90 instead of to the top of the fuel bed. Valves 81, 94 and |01 are closed and valves 89, 96 and $9 open. The uprun water gas passes from the generator to the base of chamber 90 and is carbureted by the oilV supplied through 92, the resultant oil vapors pass with the water gas through the checkerbrick' where they are fixed, the resultant carbureted water gas passing through connection I and the wash box to storage. .Y

After this uprun a, downrun and an uncarbureted uprun are made as before and the cycle is repeated.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the particular details of operation and apparatus above described for illustration may be considerably modied. I do not wish to be limited to such details as, for instance, the

.order of steps in the cycles described. Also, in

dividing the 'flow of the blast gases and passing them in two streams through two heat exchange vessels thereby controlling the amount of heat stored in each vessel; introducing steam and oil to said fuel bed and vaporizing the oil and carbureting the blue water gas by the heat stored adjacent the upper part of the fuel bed,-

leading the water gasand the oil vapors so produced in by-pass relation to one of said heat exchange vessels, fixing the oil vapors by the heat st ored in the other of said heat exchange vessels, and leading of! the gas.

2. A'process of manufacturing carbureted water gas whichincludes the vfollowing steps: air blasting an ignited fuel bed, burning the blast gases with secondary air introduced marginal# ly adjacent the upper edge of the fuel bed, and dividing the now of the blast gases and passing them in two streams through two heat exchange vessels thereby controlling the amount of heat .by the remaining -portion of the heat recovered from the blast gases.

3. In aprocess of manufacturing carbureted water gas, the following steps: one step being. air blasting an ignited bed of solici fuel, burning the resulting blast gaseswith secondary air in e: combustion space and storing heat therein, and then storing a selectively controlled portion of the remaining heat of said blast gas in a fixing zone; and another step being, steam blasting said fuel bedthereby generating blue watergas, introducing heavy oil directly into the combustion space and carbureting said blue water gas with the vapor resulting from the vaporization of said heavy oil, and fixing said heavy oil vapors in said water gas by means of the heat stored in said yfixing zone.

4. In a process of manufacturing carbureted water gas with heavy oil, the following steps: one step being, air blasting an ignited bed of solid fuel, burning the resulting undivided blast gas in a combustionspace with secondary air and storing heat in said combustion space, dividing said blast gas into parts and conducting said parts through separate parts of aflxing zone, and selectively controlling the amount of heat stored from said gas in said xing zone; and another step being, steam blasting said fuel bed thereby generatingfblue water gas, introducing heavy oil directly into the combustion space and carbureting said blue water gas with the vapor resulting from the vaporization of said heavy oil, and fixing said heavy oil vapors in said water gas by-means yof the heat stored in said fixing zone.

5. In a process of manufacturing carbureted water gas with heavy oil, the following steps:

,one step being, air blasting an ignited bed of fuel, leading the resulting blast gas in a path including as a part thereof an empty chamber, burning said blast gas in said empty chamber with secondary air and storing heat from said combustion in said chamber, leading the blast gas from. said empty chamber through separate parts of aflxing zone, andselectively controlling the amount of heat from saidblast gas stored -in the parts of said fixing zone; and another step being, steam blasting said fuel bed thereby generating blue water gas, introducing heavy oil directly into the empty chamber and carbureting said blue water gas with the vapor resulting from the vaporization of said heavy oil, and fixing said heavy oil vapors Ain said waterV gas by means of the heat stored in said fixing zone.

OWEN B. EVANS. 

